How Old Do You Have To Be To Drink Beer In Germany?

Drinking Age – In Germany, it is legal to enjoy soft alcoholic drinks like beer and wine at the age of 16, whereas hard drinks like spirits and liqueurs are only allowed to adults over 18. So don’t wonder if you see some youngsters having a beer – it is probably legal.

Can I drink beer in Germany at 16?

Are children and adolescents allowed to smoke? No. Children and teens are not to smoke or be able to buy tobacco products (cigarettes, shisha/ hookah, cigars, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, etc.). Not even for/on behalf of adults. Furthermore, minors must not be allowed in so-called “smoking bars” (bars inside which people can freely smoke).

Children under the age of 14 are not allowed to buy or drink alcohol. Teens who are 14 or 15 are allowed to drink beer, wine or sparkling wine only in the presence and with the permission of their parents or another person in a custodial role. Other heavy alcoholic drinks are not allowed. Adolescents aged 16 and over are allowed to buy and drink beer, wine or sparkling wine also in absence of their parents, but other -heavy- alcoholic drinks are not allowed for them either. From the 18th birthday, a person is considered an adult in Germany. Therefore, they can purchase and consume any alcoholic beverages freely.

Are children and teens allowed in bars and clubs? Whether minors can enter clubs or bars depends on age. Youth Protection Act principally differentiates between children (up to 14 years) and teens (14-18 years)- who are considered minors- and adults (18 years and over):

Children under the age of 14 are allowed in bars with an adult. If children under the age of 14 want to go to a club, their parents or another adult in a custodial role must be present. Teens aged 16 and over can also go to bars and clubs without an adult companion- but must leave by midnight (at the latest). Only adults, i.e. people who are 18 or older, can visit casinos, nightclubs and other “places with undesirable impact on minors”.

In larger cities, there are often so-called Children Discos or Teen Discos, i.e. special clubs for children and teens, where they can dance and have fun with other kids in their age. Schools sometimes also offer such events. In such spaces, there are always adults present to supervise children- and no alcohol is served.

Children under 14 can go to the cinema, but cannot remain there after 8 p.m. Teens aged 14 and over are allowed to go to the cinema and stay until 10 p.m. 16-year-olds and older teens can stay in theatres until midnight.

Moreover, children and adolescents are only allowed to watch movies approved for their age range. Look below in the section” Is there a rating regarding movies and video games suitable for minors?” to learn more about content rating and age-restriction in Germany.

Is there a rating regarding movies and video games suitable for minors? Films and video games have a content rating: Children and teens are only allowed to consume movies and video games approved for their age group.
Often on the product packaging and in the film ads in cinemas or magazines, one can find the age ranges for which the content is (not) suitable.

The Voluntary Self-Control of the Film Industry (“Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft” or FSK) is the authority responsible for evaluating cultural product and proposing its age rating. They review the content and specific scenes of a film or video game, and then decides for which age ranges the film or video game is suitable.

There are 5 ratings: “FSK ab 0”, “FSK ab 6”, “FSK ab 12”, “FSK ab 16” and “FSK ab 18”. The number shows the minimum age for which the film or video game is suitable. For example, “FSK 12+” means that children under the age of 12 should not watch the film or video game. “FSK 18+” means that the film is only suitable for adults.

Are children and adolescents allowed to work? Children often like to do small jobs here and there, because they can earn some extra money. However, in Germany there are laws which regulate how much a child can work according to their age. The laws in question are “Verordnung über den Kinderarbeitsschutz” (Regulation about Protection Against Child Labour”) and the “Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz” (“Law for the Protection of Young Workers”).

Children under 13 are not allowed to work. Small and irregular help in family businesses or for neighbours are an exception. Children between 13 and 15 are allowed to do “light” work for up to 2 hours a day. However, only if their parents agree and this does not have a negative impact on school performance or their health. Exception: In agriculture, children between 13 and 15 are allowed to work for up to 3 hours a day. Children subject to mandatory schooling who are over 16 are allowed to work up to four weeks a year, if their parents agree. They can work several weeks in a row during the summer holiday or on a regular basis for a few hours, for example, delivering newspapers. Adolescents over 16 who are no longer subject to mandatory schooling, may work up to 5 days a week for 8 hours a day.

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Employers who do not adhere to these rules are subject to punishment.

Can 15 year olds drink in Germany?

When can a person legally drink alcohol in Germany – Whenever we talk about the legal age for alcohol consumption, there are 2 aspects related to it. These are:

The legal age to purchase alcohol.
The legal age for its consumption.

The law that regulates the consumption of alcohol by defining a legal age is known as, It was adopted in 2002 by the German government with the aim of reducing the chances of excessive alcohol consumption, which leads to other crimes in the country. In Germany, if you are under the age of 18 years old, you will need to provide a passport, ID card, or driving license in order to prove that you are of legal age.

In addition to this, you will also need to show proof of age when purchasing any alcohol, no matter how low the alcohol level is. Section 1 of the Act considers people between the age group of 14-18 as adolescents and defines a custodial person as the person who is responsible for the care of children and minors.

The Act provides no specific legal condition or restriction for the consumption of alcohol in private places, as it is the duty of parents to ensure the health and safety of their children. But it also provides a framework to regulate consumption in public places like pubs, restaurants, clubs, etc.

No alcohol must be sold to children below the age of 14 years or adolescents nor can they consume it.
Adolescents or people above the age of 16 years can consume alcohol in public places only if they are accompanied by their legal guardians or parents.
The third category is for people over 18 years of age. They can easily consume alcohol anywhere anytime without any restrictions.

Can you drink at a bar at 16 in Germany?

Drinking age – German Jugendschutzgesetz (Youth Protection Law): The law has to be placed at every public event and establishments selling or serving alcoholic beverages. In Germany, underage drinking in private is not regulated by a specific legal restriction. However, protection from physical and mental harm is part of parents’ general obligation to care for a child.

Beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine or mixtures of beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine and soft drinks, must not be sold to Children and Adolescents below the age of 16 years,
other alcoholic drinks or food items that contain other alcoholic drinks in more than insignificant quantities must not be sold to Children and Adolescents,

nor must their consumption by said persons be tolerated. (2) Sub-Clause 1, No.1 shall not apply to Adolescents accompanied by a Custodial Person. This results in three different drinking ages depending on the type of alcoholic beverage and circumstances:

At 14 – Minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine in public places, bars or restaurants, as long as they are in the company and have the permission of a Custodial Person. (§ 9 JuSchG (2) and § 1 JuSchG (1) 2), This regulation is colloquially known as “begleitetes Trinken” (“accompanied drinking”).
At 16 – Minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine in public places, bars or restaurants without their parents or a Custodian. (§ 9 JuSchG (1) 2),
At 18 – Having become adults, people are allowed access to distilled spirits, beverages containing distilled spirits, and food products containing non-negligible amounts of distilled spirits. (§ 9 JuSchG (1) 1),

Those limits do not apply to married adolescents. (§ 1 JuSchG (5)),

Is 14 and 18 legal in Germany?

Sex – The legal age of consent in Germany is 14. However, it is illegal to engage in sexual acts with a minor under the age of 18 by taking advantage of an exploitative situation. This can include exploiting the victim’s lack of capacity for sexual self-determination.

Can you drink at 16 in Berlin?

Can 16 year olds go to nightclubs in Germany?

From 16-18 years- old teenagers are allowed to go to a nightclub until midnight, longer if they have adult supervision (signed paper). There are exceptions for school and other public events for teenagers. You have to be over 18 to enter an arcade (Spielhalle).

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Can you live alone at 16 in Germany?

Can I live alone at 15? – However, under 18s can live alone – if parents decide that their underage child is ready to move out of the home and agree to this, children under the age of 18 may also leave the parental home. When can you move out? With the consent of the parents, children in Germany can already look at home at the age of 16 or 17! Often this even happens in good agreement between parents and child if they accept an apprenticeship outside the parents’ place of residence.

However, the child must be fine there. If the youth welfare office determines that the minor is in danger, it can put the child back in the parental home or accommodate it in another facility such as a youth home or a supervised residential group. The sword of Damocles hovers undiminished over this momentary freedom of the teenagers, because the parents still have the right to determine their place of residence and can thus dictate to the teenager where and in what form they may live in the future.

The dream of owning your own apartment in another city quickly turns into a nightmare in a shared flat near your parents’ house. In addition, underage children are not legally competent, which means that the signature of the parents or the legal representative is required under rental contracts or with an electricity supplier.

What is the youngest drinking age?

The Legal Drinking Age in Each Country For many, being able to buy a legal drink is a sign of maturity and freedom — and perhaps a harbinger of questionable decisions and good times to come. While 21 years old is the standard for most of the United States (looking at you, ), many consumers across the world have earlier introductions to alcohol.

In fact, 64 percent of the world’s nations have legal drinking ages of 18.
The youngest legal drinking age in the world is 15, with both Mali and the Central African Republic allowing folks to drink at that time.
Seven countries do not have a government-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban the consumption of booze entirely.

Don’t Miss A Drop Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox. In Canada, India, and the United Arab Emirates, different regions have varying legal drinking ages. Want to know more about legal drinking ages around the world? Check out the map below to discover the legal minimum drinking ages of countries around the world!

Is 15 and 18 legal in Germany?

Germany – The age of consent in Germany is 14, as long as a person over the age of 18 does not exploit a 14- to 15-year-old person’s lack of capacity for sexual self-determination, in which case a conviction of an individual over the age of 18 requires a complaint from the younger individual; being over 21 and engaging in sexual relations with a minor of that age does not constitute an offense by itself.

commits sexual acts on a person under fourteen (14) years of age (a child) or allows them to be committed on themself by the child,
induces a child to commit sexual acts on a third person or to allow them to be committed on the person by a third person, or “

§ 180: “(1) Whoever abets the commission of sexual acts of a person under sixteen years of age on or in front of a third person or sexual acts of a third person on a person under sixteen years of age”:

by acting as an intermediary; or
by furnishing or creating an opportunity,

shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine. ” § 182: “(3) A person over twenty-one years of age who abuses a person under sixteen years of age, in that he:

commits sexual acts on the person or allows them to be committed on himself by the person; or
induces the person to commit sexual acts on a third person or to allow them to be committed on the person by a third person,

and thereby exploits the victim’s lack of capacity for sexual self-determination, shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine. The act shall only be prosecuted upon complaint, unless the prosecuting authority considers ex officio that it is required to enter the case because of the special public interest therein.

Can you drink at 16 in Italy?

What’s The Drinking Age in Italy? – legal_drinking_age_italy The alcohol age limit in Italy is 18 years old. That means, it is illegal to sell alcohol to minors in either shops, restaurants or bars, That’s a little bit more generous than the legal age limit in the USA. In general, ID should be requested in any establishment selling alcohol if there is any doubt over your age.

Can a 17 year old go to a bar in Italy?

In Italy, minors (anyone under the age of 18) are not able to legally purchase or consume alcohol in bars, restaurants or even outdoors (although it is very unlikely for a restaurateur or server to ‘card’ someone who appears to be younger than that when they are drinking with their parents).

Can you drink at 16 in Belgium?

Purchase –

In 21 Member States ( Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom ), children cannot purchase alcohol. Belgium, Denmark and Germany set 16 years as the minimum age for purchasing beverages containing less than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol and 18 years for buying spirits (more than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol). Sweden set the minimum age for purchasing beverages with more than 3.5 % of alcohol at 20 years. The minimum age to purchase alcohol in Cyprus and Malta is 17 years; in Luxemburg, it is 16 years. In Austria, purchasing alcohol is regulated at the regional level. There are two different age requirements – either 16 or 18 years – depending on the region and the percentage of alcohol involved.

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Can you drink beer at 16 in Belgium?

🍺 Belgium Drinking Age – Final Thoughts – So there you have it, a journey through the legal drinking age in Belgium. We’ve learned that in Belgium, the legal drinking age for beer and wine is 16, while for stronger spirits and alcoholic beverages, it’s 18.

Belgium’s approach to drinking is unique, allowing young adults to enjoy the flavours of beer and wine at a slightly earlier age compared to some other countries. Whether you’re exploring the beer culture, indulging in fine wines, or simply enjoying a refreshing drink, moderation and responsible choices are key.

So, raise your glass, savour the moment, and toast to an awesome (yet responsible) drinking experience. Santé!

Is 14 legal in Italy?

Age of Consent in Sweden – Specified by the Swedish Penal Code, Chapter 6, the age of consent in Sweden is 15 years old, and rises to 18 if the potential offender is a parent or occupies some other position of power or trust over the underaged person (teacher, clergy, foster parent, coach, etc).

Can a 20 year old date a 16 year old in Germany?

A: A 20 year old can date a 16 year old, and can have a private, consensual, sexual relationship with a 16 year old under most circumstances. However, it is illegal if the 20 year old is in a ‘position of power’ over the 16 year old.

What is a minor in Germany?

In accordance with Article 388 of the Civil Code (the Code Civil), persons under the age of 18 years are considered to be minors. Parental custody (autorité parentale) ends at that age.

Is 16 legal in Germany?

Key aspects –

All Member States establish a minimum age for sexual consent. Most Member States set this between 14 and 16 years. The lowest minimum age is 14 years, set in seven Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Portugal, The highest is set at 18 years – in Malta, About half of the Member States apply different age limits to sexual acts between young persons. For example, in Cyprus and Italy, the law provides an exception for consensual sexual activities between persons if neither of them is under 13 years old and the age gap does not exceed three years. Some Member States provide higher age thresholds for sexual activity between a child and a recognised person of trust, authority or influence over the child.

Can 16 year olds smoke in Germany?

Minors – Juveniles smoking and trading cigarettes in 1948 Under Germany’s “Protection of Young Persons Act” it is unlawful to sell or supply any tobacco product to anyone who is under eighteen years of age. It is also illegal to permit minors to smoke in any public place.

Although it is not a crime for minors to purchase, attempt to purchase or consume tobacco products it is unlawful for any retailer or other responsible person to sell, supply or tolerate the consumption of tobacco by a person underage. If a minor is found smoking in public, the police have a duty to seize the tobacco products.

Protection of Young Persons Act – Section 10 Smoking in public, tobacco products (1) Tobacco products may not be sold to children or adolescents nor may the latter be permitted/allowed to smoke in restaurants, shops or other public places.(2) Tobacco products may not be made available from vending machines unless the following conditions are satisfied:

The vending machine is installed at a location where it is not accessible to children or adolescents.
The vending machine is fitted with mechanical means of ensuring or is permanently guarded to ensure that children and adolescents cannot buy tobacco products from them. —

Prior to 1 September 2007 the minimum age for purchasing and smoking tobacco products had been 16 years. Until 1 January 2009 all tobacco vending machines had to be removed or refitted to ensure that minors could not purchase tobacco products from them.

Can 16 year olds go to nightclubs in Germany?

Is 16 and 21 legal in Germany?

Age of consent starts at 14 if both are under 21. If one is over 21 and the other 14 or 15 it’s a matter of maturity of the younger one – in doubt it’s abuse. If the younger one is 16 or 17 it’s usually permissible, unless the older one exploits the younger one in any way. If both are over 18 they are adults.